The struggle to find balance between old and new, modernity and tradition, respect and assimilation, is one that people all over the world have been navigating for centuries. In this case, the tension was encapsulated in a series of beautiful photos that turned half a billion heads.

A new Asian power rises, fueling awe and anxiety. Its economic rise seems inevitable, until it doesn't. We've seen this movie before, with Japan in the '80s. Now it's China's turn, and while history rarely repeats itself, it can rhyme, and it's rhyming now as China's economic growth slows and challenges, some similar to those Japan faced, mount. So what might China learn from Japan's experience? And how is Japan shaping a new role for itself, so it will continue to matter in this century?

When Australian singer-songwriter Kelly Dance moved to Hong Kong, she visited her local library and became immersed in Chinese science fiction. The strange, outlandish tales influenced her to write songs now appearing in her debut EP, "All That's Gained."

The Panama Papers have been making headlines around the world, except in China. Censors have been working double time to erase any mention of the leaked papers or the connections to Chinese President Xi Jinping's family members.

Attackers in the western Chinese city of Urumqi, the capital of the restive province of Xinjiang, killed 31 people and injured more than 90 at an outdoor market. It was just the latest in a series of terror attacks Chinese officials are blaming on separatists from Xinjiang.

Beijing, with 21 million people, has some of the worst air pollution and traffic congestion in the world. Residents agree that something must be done, but don't ask them to get rid of their beloved cars.

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01/23/2014 - 11:00am

A piece of Chinese jade art stolen more than 30 years ago has been returned to Harvard Art Museums. The ornamental incense burner was set to be auctioned in Hong Kong when officials realized it was stolen.

China has the NBA's largest international fan base, and the league is making a big play for Chinese viewers with a TV deal and special Chinese-themed uniforms for the Lunar New Year. But while it might be good business, what do Chinese Americans think of the jerseys?

The struggle to find balance between old and new, modernity and tradition, respect and assimilation, is one that people all over the world have been navigating for centuries. In this case, the tension was encapsulated in a series of beautiful photos that turned half a billion heads.

Hallucinogenic mushrooms are one potential treatment for depression. Another is hip hop music — it seems the dark lyrics might reach those who feel equally hopeless. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to the rescue of China's first lady and his gallant act gets erased by Chinese censors. And in Pakistan, a group of schools hold an "I am not Malala" Day. All that and more in today's Global Scan.

What does it mean to be American? What does it mean to be Chinese? And how, as an adopted Chinese daughter of an American Caucasian mother, do you find a balance that works for you? And how did China's one-child policy make that a question faced by tens of thousands of Chinese-born American girls and young women? In search of perspective, Maya Ludtke, 19, traveled back to the town where she was born, meeting girls growing up as she might have, if her parents had kept her.

Expeditions to climb Mount Everest were put on hold this year, after an accident killed 16 Sherpas. But a Chinese woman reached the summit, and officials suspect she may have inappropriately used a helicopter. Meanwhile, in China, officials are using public trials to send a message to Uighur separatists, and Norway's touted prostitution reform is under attack. All that in today's Global Scan.